Salad Made Easy!!

April 21, 2015April 21, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ 3 Comments

Spring time is for salads! An easy way to grow your own salads, use bowls and other decorative containers. Fill the containers with good potting soil and some compost, sow your lettuce or salad mix seeds, water the seed in and watch it grow! Grow in full sun or partial shade, with temperatures between 45 degrees to 70 degrees (F). Cut the greens one (1) inch above the soil and the greens will grow again. We call this “cut and come again”. Sometimes you can do this twice!! You can even raise your own radishes.

Do you know how to start seeds?

April 20, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

I uploaded a YouTube video showing my grandson and I planting some heirloom tomato seeds. I show how to plant in a seed flat and a cell flat.

These are the same seeds that you can see growing up in previous posts:

Seed Growouts in Germination Chamber

A Busy Day – Planting and Transplanting

2015 Texas Master Gardener Conference

April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

It was an absolute pleasure serving and presenting at the 2015 Texas Master Gardener Conference in Belton, Texas. Kudos to Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company for sending me as an ambassador and teacher. I enjoyed attending and making new friends who have a passion for all things gardening.

Saving Heirloom Seed was my presentation this afternoon. The Master Gardeners were very attentive and had many questions. What an appreciative group!

Baker Creek 2015 Spring Planting Festival

April 16, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Hey y’all come and see me at the 2015 Spring Planting Festival. I will be working in the Seed Store. I look forward to meeting you!

A Busy Day – Planting and Transplanting

April 14, 2015April 14, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ 1 Comment

It is time to plant our pansies in bowls and decorative pots.

Right on schedule, the Coyne and Hannah heirloom tomatoes were transplanted from the seed flats into cell packs.

What a Difference a Day Makes!!!

April 8, 2015April 9, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ 2 Comments

I started some heirloom tomatoes seeds on April 4. Yesterday (April 7), three seeds had germinated in two seed flats. Today (April 8), seeds are popping up like crazy!!! The Coyne variety is far ahead of the Hannah tomato on germination. Providing the best soil temperature (75° (F)), stimulates germination. Plus, the seedlings are kept one inch from the bulbs in the light fixture.

It never ceases to amaze me, to see seeds pop out of the soil!!

Seed Growouts in Germination Chamber

April 7, 2015April 9, 2015 ~ illbtru ~ 1 Comment

I am doing a seed growout for Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. These tomato varieties have never been offered for sale to the public. The seeds have passed from generation to generation. These two German heirloom tomatoes will be grown for seed and sold in the coming years. Hannah, a delicious oxheart shaped pink variety, is meaty, with few seeds. The other variety is named Coyne, a huge Roma type tomato for salsa and canning.

My homemade germination chamber is being used to start the seed. The chamber consists of four shelves with florescent lights and electric heat mats with thermostatic controls. By supplying the correct rooting temperature, a few of the seeds have started to germinate in just three days!!